20 Undeniable Reasons to Fall in Love with South Dakota
Despite our crazy winters and unpredictable weather, South Dakota is the shining star of the midwest. In fact, “Great faces, great places” is so much more than a state slogan, as it rings true of the people and pride of those who are lucky enough to call this state home. All of this being said, here are 20 reasons why South Dakota is the best state in the country:
We’re aware that these uncertain times are limiting many aspects of life as we all practice social and physical distancing. While we’re continuing to feature destinations that make our state wonderful, we don’t expect or encourage you to go check them out immediately. We believe that supporting local attractions is important now more than ever and we hope our articles inspire your future adventures! And on that note, please nominate your favorite local business that could use some love right now: https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/nominate/
This isn't a Frankie Valli reference, folks, as South Dakota truly has four beautiful seasons. Weather ranges from wintertime snow to spring thunderstorms to the sunny days of summer and then the jaw-dropping changing of the leaves in fall. Do you really need anymore reasons to love South Dakota?!
South Dakota is split in half by the Missouri River. On the east side of the river you will find rolling prairies, and on the west side you will find the Black Hills National Forest.
Fall in love with South Dakota and these baby bears! Once a year, Bear Country, located in Rapid City, lets you pet their baby bear cubs. The rest of the summer, you are able to drive through the park to view the adult bears in their natural habitat.
Address: 13820 US-16, Rapid City, SD 57702
Another thing to love about South Dakota is that it is truly a state that values music. You can find free music all summer long at JazzFest, LifeLight Music Festival, and Hills Alive Music Festival. Not only do all of these offer free admission, but also days worth of live music!
Residents of South Dakota boast about the benefits of the low cost of living. Why? Well, if you really need a reason, spending less on rent and taxes means more time and money to explore the rest of the beautiful state!
Coffee lovers, look no further, as South Dakota has one of the world’s greatest coffee shops! Coffea, located in Sioux Falls, roasts their own award winning coffee, making it a MUST when visiting South Dakota.
Address: 2318 South Louise Avenue, Sioux Falls, SD 57106
For all of you antique lovers, this is your state, thanks to thrift stores galore; many of them with low, low prices on all the unique junk you’ve been hunting for!
Perhaps the shining star of South Dakota is Badlands National Park. Encompassing 244,000 acres, the park serves as a refuge for bighorn sheep, prairie dogs, and black footed ferrets. The perfect destination for hiking, camping, and photo ops.
Address:
25216 Ben Reifel Road, Interior, SD 57750
Located only in Sioux Falls, SD, Bagel Boy may well serve the best bagel you'll ever eat. Best of all, these homemade bagels are piled high with cream cheese.
Address: 2505 South Minnesota Avenue, Sioux Falls, SD 57105
Whether East River on the prairie or West River on Harney’s Peak, you can truly enjoy the landscape for miles upon miles. Just another thing to love with South Dakota.
South Dakota has so much to offer in the present day. Its rich history only adds to the awe and wonder of such a beautiful state. The state holds stories of Lewis & Clark, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Crazy Horse, finding gold and more.
How did we do, South Dakota? Did we miss any of your favorite things about our magnificent state? Let us know in the comments!
Is South Dakota a good place to live? Not only is South Dakota a good place to live, it is the BEST place to live! Why? We just gave you 20 stellar reasons, but if you need more we will say that South Dakota is not only small, but safe; that not having to pay income taxes will leave you with a lot of spare change; AND there are ample jobs, great schools, and even perfect places to retire in all corners of SoDak. Can you see now why we have so much South Dakota pride?!
Is South Dakota or North Dakota better? NoDak, for sure… Ha, sorry! I couldn’t even keep a straight face when typing that! While our neighbors to the north may think they are superior, we in fact are, as there is a lot more to see and do here, the cost of living is still lower, and – believe it or not – it is actually a bit warmer here in the south than it is in North Dakota. While North Dakota likes to argue that they have oil and therefore plenty of jobs, South Dakota is still not hurting on the employment front, with a current unemployment rate of only 2.8%.
What are the best cities to live in South Dakota? If you crave the hustle and bustle of the city, you are going to go crazy for beautiful Sioux Falls and all of its restaurants, attractions, shopping, outdoor recreation, and shows. Do you want to live somewhere that is the epitome of SoDak? You cannot go wrong with the Rapid City area, which is close to not only Mount Rushmore, but Crazy Horse, Reptile Gardens, Deadwood, and more. Are you either nearing retirement or just want a safe and quiet place to raise your family? There are plenty of smaller South Dakota towns that you may like, including Aberdeen, Hot Springs, or Yankton.
